[H-GEN] RFC: SCO

[Robert Brockway]

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On Tue, 17 Jun 2003, Raymond Smith wrote:

> I've been approached by a journalist for comment about why Australian
> Linux Groups appear silent on SCO's lawsuit against IBM. Specifically:
> <blockquote>
>     Why? Doesn't this concern the Linux community here? Or is everyone
>     just not bothered enough to get up and do something?
> </blockquote>
>
> Rather than simply reply with my oppinion or the execs, I thought I'd
> open this up for discussion on the list. I plan to summarise and send
> a reply early tomorrow morning.

I think it is best summed up by Bruce Perens response.  In essence, so far
there has been nothing to respond to.  SCO have made allegations but are
yet to back them up with _actually content_.  Their statements are
meaningless until they say what lines are supposedly copied[1].

We'd be shadow boxing to respond before SCO actually detailed the
allegations.

People and organisations make unsubstantiated claims all the time.  If we
believed them every time they did this we'd all be living 500 years, with
the youthfulness of a 20 year old (especially our skin) and always
(always!) be having the greatest sex of our lives - every time!  At least
we'd believe this was the case.  Fud, total fud.  Oh yeah, I forgot,
we'd all be immensely rich having helped the hundreds of poor deposed
Nigerian leaders in getting their money into safe western banks.

SCO have made claims, but are yet to detail them.  I give low credence to
anyone doing this.

> To start things off: I am not concerned about it as I see it as the last
> desperate attempts of an irrelevant company to survive. Furthermore,
> Ihave confidence in IBM's ability to win this lawsuit.

Agreed.

> The second part of his question is, I think, a little odd. But in my

The 2nd part is just a leading question.  Ignore it.  My tolerance for
fud is lowering by the day :)

> case, I can't see what HUMBUG could do about it. Perhaps we could send
> letters of support to IBM or issue a press release like AUUG.
> What do other people think?

What shape is Linux Australia in?

[1] The article by Traveor Marshall posted to H-Gen earlier makes some
suggestions about what areas SCO may be suing over, but this is not a SCO
document and so cannot be taken to be their words.

Rob

-- 
Robert Brockway B.Sc. email: robert at timetraveller.org  ICQ: 104781119
Linux counter project ID #16440 (http://counter.li.org)
"The earth is but one country and mankind its citizens" -Baha'u'llah

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